This invention relates generally to dental appliances and relates more particularly to a mouth prop positionable within the mouth of a dental patient.
While performing various dental procedures on a preselected tooth within the mouth of a patient, it is highly desirable that the tooth be as dry as possible. This is especially true in teeth restoration processes involving the application of sealants to pits and fissures. Such a process, for example, may require that the occlusal surface of a tooth be washed and dried and subsequently maintained in a dry condition prior to the application of the sealant. It has been found that the task of maintaining the tooth in a dry condition is facilitated by isolating the tooth from surrounding mouth tissue which may otherwise wet the tooth.
Conventional techniques for isolating a tooth commonly involve the wedging of cotton rolls between the tooth and surrounding tissue for absorbing fluids which may move into the region surrounding the tooth. However, cotton rolls must be typically replaced during the course of a dental operation, and the process involved in replacing cotton rolls is commonly cumbersome and time-consuming. In addition, it is very easy to contaminate the tooth with fluids each time that the rolls are changed.
Other techniques of isolating a tooth involve the use of a rubber dam and a clamp. However, the clamp is normally uncomfortable and usually requires an injection of a local anesthetic. Alternative techniques for isolating a tooth involve devices which either have no capacity for fluid evacuation, cannot adapt to variations in relationship between the maxillary and mandibular arches, are complicated in construction, are difficult to use, provide inadequate isolation or are relatively expensive.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved dental appliance for isolating a preselected tooth of a dental patient for working upon the tooth.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which facilitates the maintenance of a dry working field about the isolated tooth.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which performs the dual functions of isolating a preselected tooth of the patient and maintaining the jaws of the patient in an opened condition while the tooth is being worked upon.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which is relatively comfortable when positioned within the mouth of a patient.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which adapts to variations in occlusal relationships of the maxillary and mandibular arches.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which is uncomplicated to use and relatively inexpensive to construct.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide such an appliance which can be easily sterilized for reuse.